Tag Archives: acoustic guitar

Rough Edges for a Smooth Acoustic Guitarist




Peter Neri is a storyteller. He tells his tales with his acoustic guitar.

He’s an impressionist. His music evokes emotions and thoughts that are indicated by the mood of each of his solo guitar pieces. The mood is tied to the titles of each of the nine tracks on Neri’s latest album release Rough Edges, his first since 2002.

On Rough Edges, Neri takes the listener on short journeys through places that conjure every thing from a drippy faucet to the expanse of a cruise down the Amazon to a hot rod running on moonshine that is probably running moonshine in the dark hills and valleys of West Virginia. It’s achieved by virtuoso performances that put all of Neri’s talents on display from single string, partial chording and finger-style to Neri’s own self-described slam-punk finger-style.

He continually shows his adeptness at establishing a main theme and then interjecting adjacent passages that enhance the piece and carry the listener to the further reaches of his imagination.

Neri says he is more interested in “capturing the energy needed to express the nature of the song rather than trying for technically pristine takes.” Don’t worry there is abundant technique on display and the emotionally charged performances never sacrifice virtuoso ability for spontaneity. It’s all here.

The title track isn’t exactly chicken pickin’ but more like chicken pluckin’, as Neri describes it. The pluckin’ moves the tune along at a nice pace as you picture yourself strutting in the barnyard. He then segues to a delicate reverie that suspends time before coming back to the theme. Neri slips in an alternative playing of the main theme and another quiet diversion before bringing the tune to an end. All in 2:07.

The Sad, Sad Demise of the Underwood 5 refers to the long-gone and lamented typewriter. Neri uses the sound effect of the mechanical typewriter in the intro (and outro) of the track and then sets a hurried yet even tempo as he plays through the short, packed sections of this concise composition.

Perhaps the most elegant and lovely melody, adorned with jungle sound effects, is Journey up the Amazon, during which you can easily envision lightly gliding down the expansive river, taking in its myriad delights and majestic dark shadings. The aforementioned track with the leaky faucet, Faucet Still Dripping, moves at the pace of a plip-plop, drip-drop of that stubborn fixture and Celtic Vision lets you imagine dancers running through their steps to a lilting Irish-flavored melody.

The Question?, with its Latin leanings, and The Answer!, finger-picking balladry, seem perfectly fitted for two parts of a whole but each stands on its own as an individual statement, and Sneaky Pete illustrates Neri’s penchant for interjecting various quiet passages to his main themes.

The CD ends with Moonshine in the Gas Tank, a high powered slide guitar workout that envelops the listener in blues-oriented phrases and an adeptly executed country blues-rock feel.

In all, Neri returns with another volume of impressionist musical stories, along with previous releases Night Visions and Dreaming of Home, that carry you along on another glorious trip through the workings of a singular talent.

It’s available on CD at CDBaby or www.peterneriguitar.com/contact. Streaming versions of the album are on CDBaby, Spotify, Apple iTunes, Amazon, Deezer and many others streaming services.

Peter hosts a radio program, One Guitar, on WFVR 96.5 FM from Royalton, Vermont, where you can stream it (https://www.royaltonradio.org/) Tuesdays at 2 p.m. He spins some of the world’s best solo acoustic guitar music. The show will also begin airing on Blues and Roots radio (https://www.bluesandrootsradio.com/homepage) on Tuesday, July 30 at 8 p.m.

 

Early gems from the quiet Beatle



Tucked away in the Blu-Ray/DVD Deluxe Edition of Martin Scorcese’s Living In The Material World, a biopic on Beatle George Harrison, is a 10-track CD made up of acoustic renderings and some early takes of Harrison songs, some of which run through the feature film.

George Harrison Early Takes VolThe collection has also been released as a single CD or on vinyl, and is appropriately titled Early Takes Volume 1. The 1 teases at possible subsequent releases in what is presumed to be a series. That’s not guaranteed but has been indicated by Harrison’s widow, Olivia.

This set is nothing short of wonderful. A nice glimpse into George’s world, where he is in the early stages of getting songs down on tape, either purely with acoustic guitar and vocal or with a small backing band. Some of these tunes are so familiar to the Harrison fan that the many instrumental parts we’re all familiar with on songs such as My Sweet Lord, Awaiting On You All and All Things Must Pass, for instance, run through your mind in the background even while listening to the demo versions.

But it’s nice to hear the songs in their raw state. The listener gets a greater appreciation for the singer and the song. And in some cases those bombastic Phil Spector-produced tracks are improved upon in a more primal form.

There are some delightful covers as well, one of Bob Dylan’s Mama You’ve Been On My Mind and the classic early ’60s Everly Brothers ballad Let It Be Me. On Let It Be Me, Harrison delivers simple acoustic guitar accompaniment to his lead and harmony vocal tracks. One of the few times, if ever, Harrison sang a harmony part to himself on tape. The effect is beautiful on this gorgeous melody.

The only other listed musician on the album in Jonathan Clyde on mouth harp for the bluesy Harrison original Woman Don’t You Cry For Me from his solo album 33 1/3. Continue reading Early gems from the quiet Beatle